Dancing for Jerry: Memories of Jerome Robbins is the title of the Dec. 1 evening at Symphony Space that celebrates the life and legacy of the late choreographer-director.

Jerome Robbins
Photo by Frederic Ohringer

The one-night-only event features Jacques d'Amboise, his son Christopher, daughter Charlotte and son-in-law Terrence Mann as well as special guest Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story), who will all, according to press notes, "celebrate, through song, dance and reminiscences, their encounters over many years with the legendary choreographer Jerome Robbins." Show time is 7:30 PM. Audiences will be treated to rare film footage of Robbins' dances, including "Afternoon of a Faun" (with Jacques d'Amboise and Tanaquil LeClerq), "I'm Flyin'" (with Charlotte d'Amboise from Jerome Robbins' Broadway) and "Fancy Free" (with Christopher d'Amboise and Mikhail Baryshnikov).

Jacques d'Amboise will also premiere a short new work of choreography, a dance based on songs from Yiddish Theater that Robbins would have heard as a ten-year-old. Isaiah Sheffer, artistic director of Symphony Space, and the National Dance Institute children will sing those tunes.

In a statement Jacques d'Amboise said, "I believe the evening will be unique. I doubt if it will ever be done again, and we will be illuminating the darker as well as sunlit makeup of the extraordinary Jerome Robbins."

Proceeds from the evening will benefit the National Dance Institute and Symphony Space.

Jerome Robbins is perhaps best known for directing and choreographing such Broadway musicals as West Side Story,Fiddler on the Roof and Gypsy.

Symphony Space is located in Manhattan at 2357 Broadway at 95th Street. Tickets, priced $25-$35, are available by visiting www.symphonyspace.org. For benefit seats, priced $250-$500, contact Nicole M. de Jesús at (212) 864-1414, ext. 229 or e-mail nicole.dejesus@symphonyspace.org.